This invention relates to reloaders, and more particularly, to dies and shell or shotshell holders used in reloaders.
In one class of reloader, one or more shell holders mounted to a carriage are adapted to receive a corresponding number of casings. A plurality of tools is mounted opposite the shell holder. The reloaders for shot shells and for cartridges each have such arrangements although the shell holders and dies are different in a shot shell reloader from the shell holder and dies in a cartridge reloader. In a progressive reloader, the shells are moved from station to station while different tools operate on them to reprocess the casings for the shells and reload them. In a single stage reloader, one shell at a time is mounted in a station opposite to a tool holder to perform a loading function at that station and the shells are processed in a plurality of steps by changing tools.
In the prior art carriages for shells, the shells or cartridges are held in place on a shell plate by a retainer or a retainer spring or some other means for holding them securely during the reloading operation.
This type of shell holder has a disadvantage in that it is time consuming and difficult for the operator to remove a shell or cartridge and inspect it at any particular stage, such as for example to detect any difficulties that may have occurred or damage that may have occurred to a shell.
Dies must from time to time be removed and replaced with different dies. This can be a time consuming operation because the dies, particularly the dies for metal casing resizing, must be mounted firmly in place. In the prior art, they are generally threaded into a tool holder and held by a retainer ring that is tightened upon them. The prior art arrangements have a disadvantage because it is time consuming and tedious to change the dies.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel reloading apparatus and technique.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel die for reloaders.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a quick release connector to mount dies to a reloader.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a method for quickly changing dies in a reloader.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an easy to use shell holder that permits easy removal of the shells.
In accordance with the above and further objects of the invention, a two piece bayonet type tool mount fastens tools to the tool carriage of a shot shell reloader. An inner bayonet male piece holds the tool and enters the tool hole of the carriage from one side and a female socket piece of the two-piece bayonet type holder enters the hole from the other side to lock together. The two-piece mount is thus held firmly in place from the bottom and the top so it can be inserted and removed quickly with ease. In the preferred embodiment, the bayonet piece is the top piece. The bottom female piece may be threaded externally to engage the thread of a tapped hole in the loader for a firmer grip.
A shell holder includes pivotable retaining arms that hold the casings for the shells in place, and are in turn, held in place by another means such as a spring that biases the pivotable retaining arms closed. With this arrangement, during any stage of processing, a casing can be quickly and easily removed by pulling the pivotable retaining arms against the bias of the spring, inspected while free from the holder and then returned to the shell holder by pulling the pivotable retaining arms against the bias of the spring, inserting the shell into the holder and releasing the arms.
As can be understood from the above summary of the invention, the reloader of this invention has several advantages, such as for example: (1) it is relatively easy to insert and remove dies; (2) it is relatively easy to insert and remove shells; (3) it is inexpensive and simple to use.